The Prom A Bobby & Charli Prequel
by judyg
Summary: This is a one-shot based on the relationship of Bobby Goren & Charli Donovan before they became romantically involved. This story is based on a comment from my first store "Haven for a Heart" and takes place prior to the LOCI storyline.


**Thank you to my sis spookycc for the beta, support and patience. Thank you also to ciaddict for allowing me to bounce ideas off her and the thoughts she offers in return.**

_This story takes place prior to the beginning of Law & Order Criminal Intent – in my timeline Bobby is an undercover detective with the narcotics squad that has been referenced in LOCI canon._

_For anyone reading my stories, this one-shot refers back to a conversation Bobby and Charli Goren had in "Haven for a Heart" about a kiss, a boy named Mitch and her senior prom._

**The Prom – A Bobby & Charli Prequel…**

Charli studied her reflection in the mirror and wondered what she could possibly have been thinking, agreeing to go to the prom with Mitchell Powers. He was one of the most popular boys in school and certainly could find a much prettier girl to go with him.

"You know," Trisha Donovan spoke from the doorway, her gaze moving over her sister distastefully. "This guy's going to expect a little gratitude for taking you to this God forsaken dance."

"What are you talking about?" Charli turned to face her sister. "It's just a date."

"A date? Honey, it's the prom for crying out loud!" Trisha scoffed. "This is the night that boys are certain they are going to get lucky with the girl of their choice. For some reason the Powers kid chose you and he's expecting you to put out for the honor."

"Then I'll tell him I won't go," Charli stated simply. At 17, she was as shy as she was inexperienced.

"Oh, the old man would love that. He put out all that money for your prom dress and then you back out," the oldest Donovan sister was quick to point out. She thought for a moment before she said: "He'll probably just want a kiss goodnight. You've been kissed before, haven't you?"

*************

Bobby had just arrived home and all he wanted was to get something to eat, take a shower and get a good night's sleep. Not necessarily in that order. He had been working undercover for the last several weeks and now that it was over, he was exhausted. Kicking off his shoes, he unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it onto the laundry basket that sat by the door, waiting to go to the Laundromat.

He wandered into the kitchen and pulled open the refrigerator door to study the contents, only to sigh in disgust and close the door. He was reaching for the telephone to order a pizza when the phone rang in his hand.

"Goren."

"Hey, Bobby, where've you been?" Lewis asked in his good-natured manner.

"Working," Bobby couldn't help but smile. He knew Lewis so well that he knew his friend had no ulterior motive for calling, just a sincere interest in his friend's well-being.

"You work way too hard. I just got a '72 Riviera in the shop, I figured I'd order something to eat and we could sit around and admire her…"

"That's tempting, but I'm beat. I'm going to order a pizza and catch up on about 72 hours worth of sleep. Can I get a raincheck?"

"Anytime," Lewis assured him. "Get some rest and I'll give you a call later in the week."

Bobby set the phone back in the charger and slid off his shoes. The sound of the intercom buzzer elicited a softly muttered curse before he pressed the button.

"Hello?"

"Bobby, it's Charli," the voice brought a smile to his lips.

"Come on up," he said as he pressed the button, allowing her to enter. He had met Jimmy Donovan's sister several years earlier and had been struck by the shy teenager's intelligence and sadness. Charli was the youngest of the Donovan children, and although Bobby had made friends with two of her older sisters, it was she who intrigued him.

"I needed to stop by Aunt Maggie's and she gave me some left over pasta and sauce, on the condition that I stop by and see if you would like some," Charli smiled up at him.

"I would love some, as long as you stay and share it with me," Bobby replied, closing the door behind her. As tired as he might be, the opportunity to spend time with her was far too tempting. When he spent time with Charli, the outside world ceased to exist, along with the problems that lurked there.

"I think that might be what Maggie had planned," Charli admitted as she set the bag she carried on the counter. "Are you sure you don't mind? I haven't eaten but I know that you've been busy with work and must be exhausted…" She looked up to see him studying her curiously. "My brother was with you, remember?" she reminded him.

*************

Charli heated the sauce and boiled the pasta while Bobby took a shower. She set the table and tossed the salad that Maggie had sent along before putting the garlic bread in the oven. Introverted by nature, Charli didn't open herself to others easily, but Bobby Goren was an exception. When her brother, Jimmy, had first brought him to a family cook-out, she had been intimidated by the tall, good looking detective.

Although Jimmy and Bobby had known each other as teenagers, they had lost contact when Bobby had enlisted in the Army. When the men had met again they were cadets at the police academy and now worked together in the Narcotics Division of the NYPD. Bobby's presence at family events had become routine and slowly, with patience and perseverance, he had won Charli's friendship and trust.

"That smells like heaven," Bobby's deep voice broke into her thoughts. She smiled at him over her shoulder, aware what an attractive man he was. He stood watching her, dressed in faded blue jeans and a black T-shirt and Charli felt an unfamiliar flutter in the pit of her stomach.

"Maggie does make the best sauce in the world," she told him. "I wasn't sure what you'd want to drink…"

"I'm afraid there's not much here," he apologized. "I've got beer, water or milk." Even as he spoke, he opened the refrigerator and retrieved the milk. He removed the lid and sniffed the milk, offering her a boyish smile as he corrected. "I've got beer or water."

"Water's fine," she assured him.

They ate dinner, discussing Charli's aunt and uncle, Bobby's mother and Charli's plans for college once she graduated high school. She had never wanted anything other than to be a teacher and her green eyes sparkled with excitement as she told him of her choice to teach elementary school.

"The one thing I know, is you can do anything you set your mind to," he told her, his own smile infectious as he listened to her.

"Thank you," she flushed softly. Bobby was certain that she was a young woman unused to receiving compliments from her father, nor did she expect them from others. He felt that there was turmoil in her home life, but whenever he broached the subject, Charli withdrew so Bobby had learned not to push, hoping that she would confide in him when she was ready.

"So, Jimmy mentioned that you were going to the prom?"

"I – I was asked to go," Charli hedged. "I – I'm not sure I'll actually go."

"Why not? I thought all girls dreamed of going to their prom – the dress and corsage…"

"Most girls have a steady boyfriend and aren't going on a first date," she told him, leaving the table to take their plates to the sink.

"Do you like the boy who asked you?" Bobby wanted to know.

"I do. He's very nice and we've been friends for a long time. He's not like a lot of the boys – you know, the ones who only want to talk to the cheerleaders and pretty girls."

"Then why wouldn't you want to go with him?"

"I – it's silly, really, but I just don't want to embarrass myself," Charli replied. She turned to find Bobby watching her.

"How could you embarrass yourself?" As tired as Bobby was, he felt as if he was missing a key piece of information.

"I'm not – It's just that Trisha pointed out that Mitch is going to expect at least a kiss 'good night', if not more," she said on a rush and felt her cheeks turn crimson. Her gaze dropped to her hands, unable to look at Bobby.

The thought of anyone wanting 'more' where Charli was concerned caused a rush of protectiveness that caught Bobby off guard. She was an intelligent young woman and Bobby had no right to interfere in her life. But that didn't stop him from saying:

"You shouldn't let anyone make you do anything that you aren't comfortable with."

"I know – It's just that I really like Mitch and I think I might want him to kiss me. It's just that I don't want him to be disappointed but I don't know if I …" Charli broke off, blushing hotly.

"You don't know what?" Bobby prompted her. He didn't want her to ever be hesitant to talk to him. He knew that her relationship with her father was strained at best and her mother had walked out on the family when Charli was barely eight years old.

"I just want to know if I kiss properly," she said on a rush, turning back to the sink, waiting for Bobby to laugh at her. When he didn't, she turned to face him and realized that she had rendered him speechless. "You probably think I'm pretty pathetic."

"Of course not," Bobby was quick to assure her. "But you need to just let things happen in their time, don't let this Mitch or Trisha or anyone else tell you how things should be," he told her. "You need to do what's right for you. Promise me that you won't do anything you aren't ready for or don't want."

"I promise," she smiled at his concern. "Would you let me…" her voice trailed off as she took a step towards Bobby where he sat.

"Would I let you what?" he asked, but then realized what Charli intended. "No, Chuck. That's not a good idea."

"Why? I trust you and I know that you'll be honest with me," she explained. "And I'm sure you've kissed a lot of women so you'd know what a guy would like…"

"No, Charli," Bobby shook his head. Even as he spoke, he saw the uncertainty in her green eyes. She had no idea how beautiful she was or that men turned to watch her when she walked by. But Bobby knew. He'd been painfully aware of the way boys and young men looked at her. He knew how he looked at her, and the guilt that followed. She was 15 years his junior but what he felt for her wasn't what a 32 year old man should feel for a 17 year old girl. He saw her as a young woman, not a teenager and that was dangerous.

"I – I'm sorry," she shook her head. "I – should know better. Mitch won't want to kiss me any more than you do." All she wanted was to escape, but before she could leave the kitchen, Bobby grasped her wrist and halted her movements.

"Please, just let me go," she whispered, her auburn hair falling over her shoulders.

"No," came Bobby's soft reply. "Not until we discuss this."

"There's nothing to discuss," Charli replied, attempting to free Bobby's hold on her wrist, but failing.

"You're hurt, you think that because I don't want to kiss you means I don't think you're attractive. You're wrong, Charli. You're a beautiful young woman and any guy would be lucky to have you give them a second look." When she opened her mouth to deny his words, Bobby raised his free hand and waved a finger towards her. "No, let me finish – you can't just go around haphazardly asking men to kiss you."

"I'm not asking haphazard men," Charli countered. "I'm asking you, because I trust you and because I know that you'll be honest with me."

"And if I say 'no'?"

"You've already said 'no'," she reminded him. "So please, just – just let me go…" tears burned her eyes, but she was determined not to cry, not in front of Bobby. He was her friend and had no obligation to deal with her emotional outbursts and insecurities.

"Not like this," Bobby replied softly. "You're upset with me and you need to know that isn't my intention."

"Am I – am I really that unappealing?" Charli heard herself ask and immediately wished she could take the words back. Rather than answering her, Bobby drew her onto his lap, and smoothed a stray strand of hair from her cheek. His gaze moved over her face, from her forehead to her eyes, her perfectly shaped nose and smooth cheeks to her full, soft lips before he said:

"You're beautiful, Charli. You're also intelligent and compassionate and you've got your whole life ahead of you. Do not let one moment in time define your image of who you think you should be."

Charli gave his words careful consideration and saw the sincerity of them in his eyes. She offered him a tremulous smile before she leaned forward and pressed her mouth to his. It was a gentle kiss, one simply meant to thank him for his kindness and friendship, but as her lips met his, Charli felt a heat spread through her that was foreign to her. She laid a gentle hand on Bobby's cheek, allowing the kiss to linger longer than she should.

Bobby knew that he should stop her, but fatigue had dulled his common sense and just for this moment he allowed himself to forget that he'd never be able to reveal his true feelings for this young woman. Charli broke the kiss, expecting Bobby to reprimand her, but when he remained silent, she studied his face for a moment before she lowered her mouth to his again.

She felt Bobby's hands splay gently across her back, pressing her to him as his lips parted beneath hers. Before she could pull away, Bobby's left hand captured the back of her head, holding her still as his mouth parted beneath hers and his tongue traced her bottom lip. A soft sigh escaped her and Bobby's tongue slipped inside to explore the warmth of her mouth. Charli was too surprised to do anything more than remain motionless as he plundered her mouth, his tongue stroking over hers intimately.

His head tipped to one side, and then the other, each position adding a new dimension to the kiss, his tongue touching new areas of her mouth each time. Charli's tongue touched his shyly, and she felt the hand on her back pull her even closer to his hard chest. Bobby coaxed her tongue with his, drawing it into his mouth before sucking it lightly. The fluttering in Charli's stomach spiraled outward, into her thighs and arms, frightening her with its intensity.

When at last Bobby freed her, Charli was breathless, unable to speak while Bobby's breathing was ragged and his voice unsteady as he said:

"You need to go, Charli…"

Wordlessly, she slipped off his lap and stood on shaky legs. She watched Bobby wipe a hand over his face and she saw that he seemed to be a bit dazed himself. Certain that she had done something wrong, she simply nodded and turned to leave. She heard the chair slide as he stood up but didn't dare spare a glance in his direction; doing so would certainly be her undoing.

"I'm sorry," she heard him whisper and she paused with her hand on the doorknob, but kept her back to him.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for," her voice sounded strange to her own ears. "I – I shouldn't have – but now at least I know that I can't…" She twisted the knob but before she could pull the door open, Bobby was there, pushing it closed as he turned her to face him.

"You can't what?" he asked her softly.

"It's just that I've never – Most girls my age have had at least one boyfriend, but I – It's better to know than to have Mitch laughing at me or spreading stories about how inexperienced I am…"

"Oh, Chuck," Bobby wanted to pull her into his arms and assure her that wasn't the case at all. But how could he explain to her that with that kiss, Charli had aroused him to the point that he almost forgot she was seventeen. His body had responded despite his exhaustion and even now he battled the desire to kiss her again. "Mitch Powers is one lucky son of a bitch to have you interested in him. And for what it's worth, he won't be disappointed…"

*************

Mitch Powers pulled his black Honda Civic into the Donovan driveway. Killing the engine, he picked up the corsage from the passenger seat and slid out. Straightening his tuxedo jacket, he looked at the large house, wondering again why none of his friends had thought to ask Charli Donovan to the prom. As he started up the sidewalk, he saw a man approach from the street.

"Mitch?" the man asked. He was well over six feet tall and more than a little intimidating.

"Yeah," the teenager responded. "Do I know you?"

"No, you don't. I'm a friend of Charli's and I know that you're going to the prom together."

"She's waiting on me," Mitch glanced towards the door, hoping someone had seen him and would be waiting, but he wasn't that lucky.

"Actually, she's still getting ready," Bobby replied. He had been inside until a few minutes earlier with Jimmy while her sisters continued to fuss over her hair and make-up. "And I just wanted to take a second to let you know that her brother, Jimmy, and I are both cops – and we're very protective of Charli, so if something should happen – if Charli should come home upset, or hurt, one or both of us might have to come looking for you."

Mitch swallowed the lump in his throat, wondering if he should simply leave now before he was seen by anyone in the house. As if reading his mind, Bobby said:

"I'm not saying you can't take her to the prom. I want you both to have a very good time – it's just that I don't want her hurt, understood?"

"Un – understood."

"Good," Bobby smiled and placed a friendly hand on the boy's shoulder. "That's a great looking car – did you do the sports package yourself?"

*************

The prom could have been a royal ball and Charli felt as if she were walking on a cloud. Mitch was attentive and sweet. They discussed their hopes for college acceptances, their plans for summer vacation and whether going to college away or close to home was better. Although Charli had longed to go away to school, the scholarship she had received was for the University of New York and her father had been insistent that she remain close to home. And disobeying Harris Donovan was not something that went without consequence.

On the ride home, Charli had been hopeful that Mitch would ask her out for a second date, but the invitation never came. Pulling into the driveway, she had waited for him to make the first move to kiss her, but he slid out from behind the wheel and walked her to the front door. Standing on the porch, she thanked him for a wonderful evening and felt certain that he would kiss her then, but instead, he replied that he had enjoyed himself as well before telling her he'd see her in school on Monday and waiting while she went inside.

Closing the door behind her, she removed her shoes and listened to the engine of Mitch's car as he backed out of the driveway. Smiling, she realized that there was no disappointment that he hadn't tried to kiss her, although she had enjoyed the evening immensely.

"Oh, how sad. Poor Cinderella home from the ball without even being kissed," Trisha's voice drawled from the armchair near the front window. Although the room was dark, Charli felt a blush creep into her cheeks. Her sister took great pleasure in teasing Charli, with no regard for the younger woman's feelings.

Smiling at the memory of the kiss she and Bobby had shared, the feel of his lips on hers and the taste of his tongue as it seduced her mouth, Charli replied dreamily:

"Oh, I was kissed, Trisha. And it was heavenly…"

**End – The Prom**

Author's Note: It is my intention to carry on with this series of one shots if there is interest, so your thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.


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